WELCOME TO SOUTH WALES INTERCULTURAL COMMUNITY ARTS (SWICA)
	SWICA is dedicated to celebrating the cultural diversity of the region through creating new arts opportunities to be enjoyed by people from a wide variety of backgrounds.

SWICA celebrates its 20^th Anniversary in 2009 in true carnival style. 

Since its inception in April 1990 South Wales Intercultural Community Arts (SWICA) has grown to become Wales’ leading Carnival Arts organisation. SWICA welcomes three new partners and launches ground-breaking initiatives in 2009/10 to mark its 20^th Anniversary in true carnival style.

 -          SCOPE  Cymru (formerly the Spastics Society) will be working with SWICA to offer carnival arts workshops to its project       members on a Wales-wide basis. 

-         The Wales Millennium Centre’s new “Blysh” Festival will feature the best of carnival arts from Wales including the World Premiere of SWICA’s own new Carnival-Theatre spectacular : “DRAGON”.

 -         The National Museum of Welsh Life at St Fagan’s will host an autumn half-term residency by SWICA involving mask-making   based on Welsh folklore and adapting steelpan melodies to traditional Welsh music.

Steve Fletcher, Founder and SWICA Development Officer said : “SWICA is especially proud to be celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the official adoption of the Red Dragon onto our national flag by producing our first piece of Carnival-Theatre with support from the Arts Council of Wales”  

“DRAGON” will be unique in bringing together the world of carnival arts (everything from Caribbean stick fighting to Brazilian capoeira martial arts dance) to portray Wales’ benevolent dragon emblem as never before”

“Moreover, thanks to support from the Arts Council of Wales, SWICA will be undertaking a developmental Carnival Arts Training Project to bring on the ‘next generation’ of carnival artists here in Wales”.

A major highlight to SWICA’s activities will be the 20^th Anniversary Cardiff MAS Carnival – “Here Be Dragons”  - as part of the Cardiff Festival and will feature Wales’ first ever ‘street jam’ in St Mary’s Street.(Saturday 1^st August 2009).

Other SWICA Carnival Arts residencies will involve inspiring Valleys communities in Blaenavon, Glenboi and Porth to celebrate their own culture and heritage.